LOVE AND FAITH

A beautiful girl in school uniform hurriedly jogged through her village's gravel road toward her school, the hot sun piercing every inch of her skin. Her temple and forehead were adorned with sweat pearls. Her torso was wet, and the uniform she was wearing was stuck to it.

She fought the exhaustion that was nearly breaking her. As if she had more spirit, the fatigue that struck her meant nothing to her, despite the fact that it took her so long to get to school.

She slowed her stride along the way. However, it was her family's fate that sapped her energy, not her physic. And the memory she had tried to forget resurfaced. That image of his father being dragged into the police station lingered in her mind. The roaring voice of the judge in court then clearly echoed in her head.

"Mr. Hermawan has been found guilty of stealing his neighbor's hens. As a result, he receives a two-year prison sentence for his crime."

After that verdict, she no longer had access to her father.

To survive, she and her mother set up a vegetable and fruit stall with the help of their neighbors and the village chief.

Every morning before school, she had to help her mother at the market. Since then, being late had become her middle name. Fortunately, her teachers fathomed her situation and allowed her to attend the lectures despite her tardiness.

When someone yelled, she continued to walk through the pebbles and stones. She didn't even have to look back to figure out who it was. For so long, his voice had been etched in her mind. Only when she lost her memory was she able to forget his voice.

"Ayu...." He kept calling her name. She jerked around to see a tall boy, his eyes the same shade of brown as his skin. He jumped off his bike with a smile on his face. Their gazes locked briefly before the boy averted his gaze. It was her friend, Ali.

"What brings you here at this time?" Ayu, the girl, questioned his presence. Her pupils constricted in disbelief. Instead of responding, Ali moved toward her, pushing the bike with his hands.

They grew up together as neighbors and friends. Despite Ali's mother's opposition, their friendship endured and grew stronger with each passing day. Ayu was just a child to an ex-prostitute and a prisoner to Ali's mother. She wouldn't be on their level with her status. Meanwhile, Ali was known as a devout, wealthy, and intelligent young man, the only child of the village's most respected man.

Ali's father was humble and wise, in contrast to his mother, who was overly proud of her family. He treated others with dignity as a respected person in the village. People's dignity and status in society, according to him, cannot be measured by their social background. Ali was fortunate to have inherited his father's good demeanor.

"Let's go to school together." Ayu's eyes widened with surprise. Ali had filled the gap between them. His hand tapped the saddle seat at the back, inviting her to join him for the ride. Ayu politely declined his offer, shaking her head. He looked at his wristwatch to see what time it was. "The classes have begun. If you arrive an hour late, the teacher will not admit you." There was no other option for her. Ayu hesitantly climbed onto the seat after scanning around to ensure that no one would notice them. Ali's feet paddled through the cycle to school in a fraction of a second.

On their way to school, they were drowned out by silence. Only the trees and reeds witnessed their union. Ayu's heart pounded, and her face turned pale. Anxiety manifested itself there. If Ali's mother discovered that Ali had given her a ride, she would be in big trouble.

"Are you still there?" Ali's voice jolted her out of her reverie.

She swallowed and cleared her throat. "Yeah...."

"It's just a little unusual for you to be so quiet. Are you in trouble?"

"No... could you drop me off at the gate?" As soon as Ali braked his bike's pedals, Ayu dashed into the school gate. That girl abandoned him without saying anything.

Ali and Ayu were both sophomores in high school. Ali's intelligence placed him at the top of the class of straight-A students. Ayu was placed in the second-level category as an ordinary student.

When Ayu entered her classroom, the lecture had been going on. As a punishment for her tardiness, the teacher let her in after she finished cleaning up.

Ayu walked to the back row. A book was handed to her by one of her classmates. Her classmates genuinely cared about her. They were always willing to lend her their notes for the classes she missed. Ayu scribbled it down in her notebook.

"Excuse me," the school principal, a fat middle-aged lady, said as she entered the classroom, followed by a boy. The 6'1 foreigner boy with blue eyes and blond hair entered the class elegantly and confidently. Except for Ayu, his handsome face with a broad smile on his lips enchanted all the students in the classroom. Girls were in awe of him, and some of them were flirting with him. The boys' jealousy was palpable.

The murmurs swarmed the room like bees, commenting on his appearance and expressing their wonder at his existence. In a minute, the teacher calmed them down and regained their attention. Nonetheless, no one's gaze shifted away from him.

"So you've got a new Canadian transfer student. His name is Dave." Another commotion was successfully induced by the school principal's voice. Their mouths were full of praise and admiration.

"He's so attractive!" Adele, the most talkative student in the room, let out an exclamation. Dave leered at her, startled by her announcement, and his cheeks flushed. Receiving an unexpected compliment was most likely beyond his expectations. He only gave a small smile in response.

"Now it's your turn, Dave," the teacher said, "to introduce yourself to them."

Dave revealed nothing other than his village residence after the school principal mentioned his name. The majority of the girls wanted to know more about him. However, the teacher stepped in and allowed him to sit next to Ayu. The girls' faces were flushed with envy.

After the teacher announced where that boy would sit, Ayu fell silent. She moved as far away from the empty chair beside her as she could. Her gaze was drawn to her book. Dave moved slowly toward the empty seat next to her. His gaze was fixed on her, but she didn't even look at him.

"Hi! I'm Dave. What is your name?" When she turned, Dave's hand reached out to her, but he drew it back when she ignored it.

She muttered her name hesitantly. "Ayu." Her soft voice was cold.

"May I ask you a question?" Dave inquired as to when the class had begun. She simply nodded. "How did you get those scars on your hands?" In embarrassment, Ayu drew her hands and hid them on her laps. Her chin was pressed against her chest.

Dave's gaze was fixed on the girl a few feet across from him. Ayu had captured his entire attention since their first meeting. Her beautiful face, sculpted with big round black eyes and a small nose and lips, mesmerized him. Her tanned oval face enhanced her complexion. She represented natural beauty, which he had never seen before. As his attention was drawn to the girl, he smiled.

Every time Ayu's name came to mind, his heart beat faster than usual. During class, that girl didn't say much to him. Even so, her silence enchanted him.

He received no response to his questions about her scars in Math class. To be honest, the scars on her hands piqued his interest in what she had been through. However, that girl seemed uninterested in discussing it, as if it were a secret she didn't want anyone to learn about. Inquiring about it with her would be futile. It only served to distance her from him.

A group of students entering the library interrupted his reverie. He sealed his surprise at their sudden appearance by covering his eyes with the standing book. He looked over at Ayu every now and then. Nothing but the books and the pen piqued her interest.

"Is this seat available?" Dave was approached by a doll-like girl with wavy brown long hair who pointed to the chair opposite him. Despite its small size, the library provided enough space for visitors to sit comfortably. There were also some empty chairs on the other side of the room. He was perplexed by this girl's desire to sit near his table. But he didn't seem to mind.

"Yes," Dave said, shifting to another seat as the girl blocked his view of Ayu. He didn't even glance at the girl who had now introduced herself to engage in conversation with him.

"Hello, my name is Nita. May I ask what your name is?" Her hand stretched slyly. He didn't respond because he didn't notice her extended hand. His gaze remained fixed on Ayu. "What's your name?" she asked again. Dave was taken aback when he realized what she was asking.

"Dave," his brief response prompted the girl to inquire further.

"Are you a transfer student? What country are you from?" Dave's gaze returned to Ayu. Someone, a tall boy, spoke to her. She seemed ecstatic as she spoke to him.

"Who is the young man?"

"What?" Nita became perplexed and wondered what Dave was asking her. When she turned around, she saw Ayu and Ali sitting across from each other. "He is Ali, the smartest student at this school. Why?"

"Do they go on dates?" It was too late for Dave to retract his remarks.

"I'm not sure. They are close, but as far as I know, they are just friends. Why are you interested in them?"

"Nothing...I'm just curious." He pretended to read from the book he was holding.

"You haven't responded to my questions."

"What inquiries?" Dave raised his head from his book.

"Where do you come from?"

"I'm Canadian."

"What is its location? Is it a long distance away?" To keep the conversation going, she kept asking him questions.

"It is far away, on another continent. How should I put it? I recommend looking for it on a map." Dave was unable to locate Ayu in her seat. That girl and that boy had left the library. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave."

"Hey! What are your plans?" Dave bolted from the library.

"Would you mind being quiet?" A librarian's warning silenced that girl's mouth.

Dave swept through the corridors, inspecting every nook and cranny. Instead of Ayu or the boy with her, he found only the scrutiny of other female students. He then returned to his classroom, albeit reluctantly. In five minutes, the next class would begin.

When he saw Ayu in her seat, his heart skipped a beat. The lesson grew the chasm between him and Ayu. Their communication was hampered by her reserved demeanor. The class surrounded them even more in silence. Dave had the opportunity to speak with Ayu only after the teacher assigned them a task.

"As an assignment, you must work in pairs to interview market vendors," the teacher stated. You can make a list of the questions you want to ask them right now in this class. But first, I'll reveal who will collaborate with whom."

"May we select our partner, Miss?"

"I'm sorry, Adele, but you won't be able to." The students were paired by the teacher.

Dave couldn't hide his delight when the teacher announced that Ayu had been chosen as his partner. There was no indication of Ayu's reaction to the announcement she displayed. She took the book from her bag without thinking about who her partner was.

"So, do you have any idea who we're going to interview?" Dave shifted his weight to the girl next to him. He would later thank the teacher for giving him the opportunity and reason to speak with Ayu.

"We'll consider it later. Now is the time to make a list of questions." Ayu was speaking in long sentences for the first time. However, it was not a large sum.

"You are correct. Do you have any ideas for questions we should ask?" Dave continued to try to engage Ayu.

"How about I write a question first, you do next, and I do after you, and we keep going until we have enough appropriate questions?"

"Wow.. that's an amazing idea." Dave's compliment may have sounded exaggerated to Ayu, but who cared?

Ayu scribbled a question on the sheet of paper provided by the teacher. After she finished, she shoved the paper to Dave. Dave did the same thing, slipping that paper back to her. That moment went on without them communicating verbally.

"Are you finished with your questions?" The teacher stepped in. Yes, all of the students said. The class was finished in an hour.

Ayu hurriedly stuffed her belongings into her bag. Dave was just standing there observing without doing anything. One of his hands was resting on the desk. His head was resting on his palm, and his lips formed a smile.

"She's such a beautiful girl," he murmured.

"What? You're not leaving?" Ayu's words drew his attention away from her.

"I will...but only after you...yeah...after you," he mumbled.

Ayu bolted from the classroom. Dave grabbed all of his stationery and stuffed it into his bag in an instant. He pursued Ayu, who had vanished. Fortunately, he still saw her striding down the street. That girl was moving so fast he couldn't keep up.

She turned left at the intersection to go to the market. Did she live near the market? Or was she planning on doing the interview today? But how did she manage without him? Didn't they say they'd do the interview together this weekend, even though it was still five days away? He couldn't help but follow her from a distance.

Ayu's quick strides got her to the market quickly. The fishy odor mixed with the fragrance of the fruit punctured her nose as she walked down the tarnished path. The sellers' voices offering their wares boomed in her ears.

She arrived at her destination after a scuffle with others. Crowds, on the other hand, surrounded her mother's stall. The wails erupted from the heart of the crowd. Ayu jogged toward the mobs of people in curiosity who had dispersed with her arrival.

Her heart broke as she saw her mother squatting and picking up the smashed oranges and eggplants. She moved quickly across the sea of fruits and vegetables, assisting her mother and inquiring what had happened. But that pathetic-looking woman kept her mouth shut. Her sobs became more strident.

"Please tell me who did it, Mom." Ayu begged. She tried to keep the tears from welling up in her eyes. "Please, Mom..." Her husky voice nearly burtst into a cry.

Those who witnessed the incident could only console Ayu and her mother. Some of them walked away with helpless pity looks on their faces. The others simply passed by with puzzled expressions.

"What's going on?" They were distracted by the voice of a girl in a long green dress. Ayu lifted her chin and surged to her feet as her mother quickly wiped away the tears on her cheek. It was Anisa, Ayu's childhood friend, the lovely girl.

"Anisa... How long have you been working there?" Her mother's voice trembled as she spoke. She took a seat beside Ayu. Anisa, the girl, immediately drew her into her hug.

"Aunty... are you okay?" She let go of Ayu's mother and inspected her arms and hands. With a forced smile, that woman shook. "How did it happen?" Her gaze moved to Ayu. Unfortunately, her shoulder shuddered, indicating she knew nothing.

"Those vicious thugs stole our money and ruined our only stall." Ayu's mother finally confessed to them while crying. Her sobbing continued until Anisa was able to calm her down. Ayu encircled her mother's body with her hands.

"Aunty, I'm sorry to hear that. How can I assist you?"

"No, dear," she said, her face expressionless. She yanked herself away from Ayu's embrace in an instant. "Nothing... I've grown accustomed to dealing with them. Not to worry. But now... we're probably going to close our stall for good."

"Mom...." Ayu looked at her mother, perplexed.

"How come, aunty?"

"The situation has now changed. They have completely destroyed our only stall." She pointed to every corner of the stall. Everything had broken down into pieces. Fruit and vegetables were strewn about the place. Some had even been ravaged. Others were completely inedible.

"Please excuse me." Ayu's eyes widened with surprise, and Dave greeted them cheerfully. She was perplexed as to why this boy had appeared out of nowhere. "I apologize. I'm not trying to stalk you. However,..."

"If it's about a school assignment, we'll talk about it at school tomorrow." Ayu interrupted his words.

"Of course... how much is the orange?" Dave picked up an orange from the ground.

"It is not available for purchase. All of the fruits and vegetables have spoiled." Ayu yanked it away from Dave's palm.

"That's fine. I'll purchase the fruit. Furthermore, they are not rotten."

"You should go to the other stall, because we're closing ours." Ayu's mother intervened abruptly. She began putting them in boxes with the help of Ayu and Anisa. Dave was taken aback by this.

"Can I assist you?" His hand almost touched the box, but Ayu drew it away.

"We can do it, thanks. You are free to leave." Her cold demeanor might irritate him. She simply did not want him to meddle in their affairs. That boy didn't even move from his spot as he watched her handle everything.

They completed their task quickly. Ayu's mother abandoned her cluttered close stalls with the packages in her hold, and Anisa trailed behind her.

"See you later at school." His soft voice stopped her in her tracks; she swiveled and smiled at him.

Ayu tried to catch up to her mother, who was walking side by side with Anisa. Her pace was slowed by the two packets in her hand. Walking down the street in the sun not only scorched her skin but also soaked it in sweat. Her body odor spread throughout the room.

Her mother's words about the jerks who caused a commotion came to mind. They had complied by making monthly payments to them. Their brutality had crossed the line over time. Her fists were tightened. She was filled with rage and sadness. For a long time, her mother had felt this way. She endured everything for their sake.

Ayu dragged her steps with mixed emotions. She could see her mother and Anisa's chumminess from where she was. Not only did she have flawless beauty with her porcelain white skin and tall body, but she also had a pleasant personality. Boys would be swayed by her allure.

Her parents sent her to a city school after she finished elementary school, where she lived in a dorm. She would only go home during the semester break. What did she return for during the school day?

Ayu sighed as fatigue overtook her. Her house appeared to be much further away than it actually was. She kept walking past the coconut trees that lined the edge of the street on her way to her house, despite the exhaustion that had barely taken all of her energy. In the meantime, the gap between her and her mother grew wider. Those two were having a conversation without realizing she had been left far behind.

Ayu arrived at her shack after a long battle with the sun and exhaustion. She called it that because of its small size. The open door greeted them. When Ayu arose at the doorway, Anisa had settled inside.

As soon as Ayu entered the house, that girl quickly assisted her with the packages she was holding.

"Please take a seat and leave these on me, or my mother will chastise me for allowing you to move this heavy stuff." Anisa ignored her protest and continued helping with her work. "By the way," she muttered, "thank you so much for everything today."

"Hey! Don't say anything like that. That's what friends are for," Anisa replied. Ayu shifted her weight onto the chair next to Anisa. "However, is the boy... the foreigner boy....?"

"He's a classmate of mine."

"I see. Ali's birthday is tomorrow."

"Yeah... " Ayu's demeanor shifted. Her heart beat faster every time that name was mentioned. Fortunately, Anisa didn't notice it.

"Have you prepared a gift for him?" Her inquiries jolted her. They had been celebrating their birthdays together since childhood. They used to buy the candle and then ask the birthday person to make a wish and blow the candle when they were kids. That was all there was to it. Everything had changed now. They were no longer children, and the celebration was no longer the same. Ayu was saddened by this realization. She didn't have anything to give him as a present. "Ayu...."

"I-I haven't purchased anything." She told the truth.

"It makes no difference. What matters most is our friendship." Her lips curved into a sweet smile. "I have to leave."

After saying her goodbyes, Ayu returned home to find her mother standing in silence by the kerosene stove. Her thoughts wandered; her gaze was fixed on the void.

"Mom, please allow me to prepare our lunch." Instead of responding, that woman burst into tears and went into her room. Ayu was curious to find out what had gone wrong with her. But she kept her inquiries to herself.

Even as dusk approached, her mother remained locked in her room. In her confusion, Ayu could only wait while calling out to her mother. Only her sobbing could be heard from within. That concerned her.

"Are you crying, Mom?" Ayu called her mother once more. Even though her head was only one centimeter away from the door, she received no response.

Ayu was taken aback by the yell and the harsh knocking on the door. The man's booming voice filled her with dread and anxiety. She couldn't decide whether to open it or not. The man, however, did not give up. The louder bangs eventually smashed the entrance. Her mother's hand yanked her inside her bedroom before her feet could get any closer to the door.

"Mom, who is he?" To quiet her, she placed her forefinger on her lips.

"Don't make any noise or he'll find us here." Ayu followed her instructions.

Their security did not last long. After breaking the wooden door, he slammed into the house. In Ayu's ears, his shout of her mother's name exploded like a bomb.

"I know you're in there somewhere. I'll break it if you don't get out." He forewarned them. "You only have ten seconds, Tinah!" He referred to Ayu's mother.

Ayu's mother's hug tightened around her waist, as if she was afraid of losing her. She was terrified. Ayu had no idea about the man's relationship with her mother or his motivation for meeting her mother. Her mind raced in agony and confusion.

During the chaos, the door cracked due to strong strikes, exposing both of them. That jerk with the huge torso, pockmarked skin, and the seam jutting out on his face brutally hauled her mother out. In a panic, Ayu pursued the beast in order to save her mother. Her efforts, however, were in vain. The punch from that man knocked her out. Her frail body collided with the earthen floor. Her elbow kissed the soil, leaving bruises beneath her long sleeve.

"I had no idea you'd have such a lovely daughter." His rogue countenance developed a smirk. His ferocious gaze suggested his desire to devour her whole.

"Do not touch her! You're looking for me."

"I have changed my mind." That rogue man ambled over to Ayu, his feral gaze scrutinizing her body. Ayu managed to get up despite her fear. She took a step back, deterred by the wall. Her back was stuck to it.

"What are you trying to do?" His tattooed arms encircled Ayu. She wriggled violently, piercing the border of his forearms. Her mouth opened and she screamed. A powerful force struck his nape just as his hand snatched her t-shirt.

"Please let go of my daughter!" Ayu had escaped his ambush. She bolted for her mother.

That man was still standing there. He was unaffected by the blow. His rage fueled him to rush toward Ayu and her mother with his intimidating eyes. Ayu's mother used her body to protect her daughter. Her struggle, however, could not free Ayu from the man's clutches. As the man's hand reached Ayu's t-shirt again, she was only an inch apart from her disaster.